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A sharp-eyed TTAC reader based in Korea has sent us some spy shots of the 2015 Hyundai Sonata. The shots purport to show the car’s front end, interior and a snap of a Korean car magazine claiming AWD and a 6-speed DCT for the KDM model. Authentic? Who knows.
27 Comments on “2015 Hyundai Sonata Spy Shots From Korea...”
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This aligns well with the official teaser that Hyundai released.
It also aligns with a close-up wide angle shot making the nose look more bulbous than it already is. Contrast with the current Sonata comparo pic which is taken with a long lens.
Six speed AND AWD?
Given they get the suspension and handling right… this could be glorious.
Too bad we’d never see it stateside.
Why would they stick us with a dumbed-down version of the car if they’ve already done the engineering work on these improvements?
The AWD should translate, but the DCT part they well might not send here with an engine with around 200 HP/180 lb-ft. Remember the KDM base engine will have far less power and manufacturers so far are saving the dry DCTs mostly for lower power stuff and I’d assume they’d be using dry clutches for greatest fuel economy.
Hyundai was loosing to many people to Optima and Focus. It was a well needed re fresh.
*too many people
#grammarpolice
You must mean the Fusion (and not the Focus).
Losing people to Optima, which is made by Kia, which Hyundai owns?
Hyundai only “owns” 33% of the company, pretty much the same amount Ford owned of Mazda at one point.
But they use each others platforms, make each others cars, etc. I feel the real “ties” go much further than a 33% holding.
As did Mazda and Ford. What’s your point? Hyundai and Kia are independently managed and well known to be fiercely competitive with one another.
That last interior pic is the Genesis, not Sonata
Nice catch.
No it’s not.
Compare the steering wheel of the Genesis to this, they’re not the same.
Also the Genesis is not available with that basic of a radio, and the Genesis has a clock around the same location on where the hazards button is in this photo.
In any case, the dashboard looks like a rather bland evolution of the 2005-2010 Sonata’s, and seems overly tame compared to even the toned-down exterior.
It reminds me of the new new Beetle dashboard:
http://img2.netcarshow.com/Volkswagen-Beetle_2012_800x600_wallpaper_94.jpg
Looks like more gray and black blah in the interior, a current weakness of the 2011-2014 generation.
Best way to sum it up is “fixed.”
Tidied up somewhat, nothing earth shattering. It’s a styling bunt.
It’s definitely a cleaner design, but I feel it lacks the character of its predecessor. That’s what was so remarkable about the last Sonata’s design; not that it was bold (though it was) but that a Hyundai design actually had its own character for the first time.
Looks a bit like they tried to emulate Subaru’s corporate front end while proving that it is possible to make it even more boring.
Hyundai did the whole hexagonal grill thing before Subaru (or anyone else for that matter).
Hopefully they’ve fixed the steering, ride, handling, suspension noise, engine sound and the chassis is more solid structurally
Based on the Santa Fe Sport/Santa Fe and the Forte and Cadenza (granted these are Kia products), the ride and NVH should be pretty top notch.
Handling should be improved but probably not to the length of the Mazda6, but wouldn’t pin much hope on improvements to the steering feel.
The problem with this Sonata is that there are a few too many similarities to the new Genesis = good for the $20K Sonata sitting next to a $40K Genesis, bad for the $40K Genesis sitting next to the $20K Sonata.
I was wondering if the “China only” Hyundai Mistra, announced a few months back, was actually the new Sonata. When I dug up the dimensions, the wheelbase is 1″ less than my 2013 Sonata hybrid at 109″, and the Hyundai tease info coming out says the new Sonata will have a longer wheelbase than the current car – thereby exceeding 110″, so I would say that these two cars are not necessarily related, though being so close it seems almost ridiculous to develop two cars for “D” class sedan sale….
Have a look at the Mistra from the front:
http://www.blogcdn.com/slideshows/images/slides/156/804/9/S1568049/slug/l/2014-hyundai-mistra-006-1.jpg
Here’s a nice gallery of photos for the new Mistra:
http://www.carscoops.com/2013/11/new-hyundai-mistra-sedan-ready-for-its.html